


Demands of the Qun

by bushviper



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anonymous Sex, Aricock, Arishawke, Blindfolds, Dildos, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fingerfucking, Light Bondage, Light Choking, Oral Sex, Sexual Bargain, Shameless Smut, Thedas' Most Bangable, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-15
Packaged: 2018-04-12 14:46:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4483394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bushviper/pseuds/bushviper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alice Hawke is working her ass off to find a peaceful solution to the Qunari problem in Kirkwall, despite interference from every quarter. She finally thinks she has the Arishok where she wants him, but he won't pardon Isabela unless Hawke renders him a very personal service. Fortunately, Hawke is more than happy to meet this particular demand of the Qun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Beg, Bargain, and Steal

**Author's Note:**

> This is my Arishok contribution to the Thedas' Most Bangable Challenge. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> If you (yes, you!) want to nominate a sex bomb or contribute a story, sign up here:
> 
> http://archiveofourown.org/collections/ThedasMostBangable/works/4425395

Hawke smoothed the crumpled note flat on her desk, pressing her fingertip along a damp crease, and re-read it for what felt like the hundredth time, wishing she could somehow will it into conveying a different message.

_~~~_

_Dear Hawke,_

_I have the relic, and I am gone. I've lost too much over that blighted thing to let it go again. I know it would be noble to return the relic to the Qunari, but that would require a better soul than I possess._

_For what it's worth, I'm sorry I lied to you again._

_Isabela_

_~~~_

"Damn you, Isabela," she cried. "I would have protected you from Castillon, if you'd let me."

"I know," the Rivaini purred, nearly startling Hawke out of her skin. She yelped and whirled around to find Isabela lounging against the wall, an enormous book in her hands. "That's why I came back." She strolled over to the desk and set the heavy volume upon it with a playful frown. "I should be halfway to Ostwick by now. This is your damned influence, Hawke."

Relief flooded Alice's chest as she hugged her friend. "Maker, am I glad to see you! This situation with the Qunari is about to blow up like a barrel of gaatlok. I convinced the Arishok to give me a little more time to try to track you down, but Aveline won't get off his back about an issue with a couple of his converts. He's one more unpleasant 'bas' encounter from levelling all of Kirkwall."

The last time Alice had spoken with the Qunari leader, she'd been trying to run interference for Aveline. He'd flatly refused the guard captain's demand that he turn over two elves accused of killing one of her men, and after hearing their explanation, Hawke could hardly blame him. She'd managed to convince Aveline to stand down, that justice for a rapist wasn't worth the trouble it would cause to oppose the Arishok, but her friend hadn't been happy, nor did she entirely agree to let the matter rest. After Aveline had stormed off, Hawke had begged the Arishok to begin preparations to leave Kirkwall.

"I will get your tome back, I swear it," she'd said. She'd had no idea at the time how she would do it, but she was determined to prevent a Qunari takeover of Kirkwall, preferably without violence.

The huge man had stared down at her impassively, his grey eyes as intense and serious as ever. Finally, he had frowned.

"I know you keep your promises, Hawke, but even you may not be able to keep that one. I cannot leave Kirkwall without the relic, and I cannot remain blind to the disease and dysfunction that infests this city. My men are restless; their purpose remains unmet. The time approaches when I must act."

He'd spoken without rancor, although his voice had deepened with disgust when he'd mentioned Kirkwall's ills. His calmly-issued threat had frightened Hawke more than any bluster or bravado from the city's leaders ever could. She knew he meant what he said, and his solution to Kirkwall's problems would be brutal, bloody, and absolute. Impulsively, she'd stepped closer to him and laid one hand on his massive bicep. He'd glanced down in surprise but hadn't rebuked her for the imposition, and she'd squeezed the solid muscle gently.

"Arishok, I am begging you. You know if you act against Kirkwall, it will result in unnecessary deaths." His lip had curled up a little, no doubt ready to argue for necessity, but Hawke had rushed on. "Please give me time to find a peaceful solution. I know your… your philosophy demands action and your patience is finite, but I just need a little more time. If you begin your preparations to return to Par Vollen, I'll have your tome back before they're complete. I know I can do it."

"No," he'd said sternly, and Hawke's heart had sunk. "There will be no preparations. I am not leaving without the Tome of Koslun, and I will not make any preparations until I have it. You have one week, Hawke, and that's only if the guard captain ceases her harassment. The matter of the  _viddathari_  is closed." He'd folded his arms across his chest, removing himself from her touch, and frowned down at her intimidatingly.

"I'll get Aveline to back off," she'd promised quickly. "And I'll have your book back before the week is out. Thank you, Arishok. I know we can resolve this civilly." She'd allowed a bit of a smirk to tug at her mouth then, for she knew the man found nothing about Kirkwall civilized in the slightest, and she'd been rewarded with a glint of amusement in his steely eyes.

"Doubtful," he'd replied, his full lips softening from an unyielding line to a slight curve, "but you alone among these squealing  _dathrasi_  could even pretend such a thing is possible. You have your week, Hawke. Use it well."

He'd nodded to her curtly, a clear dismissal, and then returned to his men. Alice had breathed a long sigh of relief and dashed through the streets to catch up with Aveline. Unfortunately, her friend had refused to let the matter with the elves drop despite Hawke's desperate entreaties, and Alice had felt the noose closing around Kirkwall's neck as the Arishok had grown more frustrated with the guard captain's notion of justice.

But here was Isabela, and not a moment too soon.

"Fantastic! We'll just scamper down to the docks, hand over the book, and they'll be off. Kirkwall will be Qunari-free by All Soul's Day!"

Hawke's cheerful tone belied the small twinge of disappointment she felt at having to say good-bye to the Arishok. While she didn't agree with the mandates of the Qun, she'd grown rather fond of Par Vollen's stern general. He was certainly unlike any other man she'd ever met, and he intrigued her nearly as much as she exasperated him. She would miss their conversations.

"We?" Isabela laughed heartily. "You're mad if you think I'm going anywhere near those animals. Sorry, Hawke, but I've done my good deed for… my entire lifetime, actually. Which will be unpleasantly short if either the Qunari or Castillon get their hands on me. You owe it to me to protect me, Hawke. Don't ask me to go down there."

Alice could see the fear lurking beneath her friend's bold demand, and she relented. "No, of course not. I won't ask you to go with me. You're right, the Arishok would probably lop your head off on the spot. Just lay low and try to stay out of trouble until they leave."

"Done," Isabela replied, and sidled out of the estate as silently as she'd slipped in.

Alice stroked the tome's thick spine and debated her next move. It was well after midnight – normally she wouldn't dare disturb the compound at such a late hour, but she had a feeling the Qunari wouldn't want to wait a single second to get their relic back. She slid her daggers into the sheaths on her hips and shoved the book into a leather pack that she strapped to her back. Andraste's knickers, it was heavy! She decided she'd better ask the Arishok to come out and meet her in the street to retrieve the tome. It wasn't that she didn't trust him, exactly, but she didn't relish the idea of going into the enclosed compound with evidence that she'd been involved, even tangentially, with the theft of their sacred text.

As she slinked through the dark streets of Kirkwall, Hawke kept her eye out for bandits and crooks. Despite her best efforts to rid the city of vermin, new bands of criminals seemed to pop up as soon as the old ones were dispatched. It was disheartening how easily people were lured into a life of crime. The Arishok blamed the Viscount for holing away in ritzy Hightown, turning a blind eye to the desperation of Kirkwall's poor, and Hawke privately agreed. However, in the wallows of her own grief over her mother, she felt a deep sympathy for Dumar and couldn't bring herself to criticize him too sharply, not while her memory remained seared with the image of him cradling his murdered son.

When she reached the compound at the docks, she approached the Ashaad guarding the gate.

"I need to speak to the Arishok," she said boldly. The Ashaad frowned.

"Not at this hour, Serah Hawke. Return in the morning."

"Morning comes too late," she insisted. "Trust me, Ashaad, I have a matter of vital importance to discuss with him. I'll wait over there." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder to indicate the alley across the way. The Ashaad's frown deepened.

"You want me to wake the Arishok and then drag him into the streets in the middle of the night?" He muttered a Qunari phrase that Hawke assumed was impolite. "Why will you not come inside?"

"I need to show him something," Hawke said evasively. "He'll understand once he sees it. Please wake him, with my sincere apologies and a solemn promise that I'm not wasting his time."

The Ashaad grumbled but did as she asked, and Hawke retreated to the alley to wait. It didn't take long for the Arishok to appear, with a thunderous look on his face, flanked by two equally grumpy-looking Karasaads. The Arishok hadn't bothered to put on his armor, and in fact was clad only in a pair of loose linen trousers and simple sandals. Alice's eyes traveled over his imposing, muscular torso and she hummed a little in carnal admiration. He was a magnificent man.

"What is it, Hawke?" he snapped, forgoing his usual greeting. Alice pulled the pack off her back and unfastened its buckles.

"I have the Tome of Koslun," she said. She pulled the relic free and slung the pack over her shoulder. "This fulfills my part of our bargain. Will you leave Kirkwall peacefully now?"

She held the heavy book out to him and he accepted it, a reverent expression softening his harsh features. He uttered a phrase in Qunlat, his voice low and respectful, and the Karasaads echoed him solemnly. The one on the left bowed at the waist when the Arishok handed him the tome.

"Thank you, Serah Hawke," he said, his deep voice rich with gratitude. "You alone are _basalit-an_. You alone have proven yourself worthy, a jewel amid refuse. Would that you would return to Par Vollen with me. The Qun could use you." His lips curled up a little, for he was well-aware that Hawke had no interest in conversion. "We will leave as agreed, as soon as you turn the thief over to us."

"What?" Hawke gasped. "That wasn't part of our deal."

The Arishok frowned. "It is irrelevant to our deal. Your friend stole from the Qun and she will submit to the Qun. It is right."

Hawke's heart began to pound. "So when  _your_  justice demands it, suddenly people need to be handed over? You didn't seem so keen on the idea when it was the  _viddathari_  facing punishment."

When he was settling in for a debate, the Arishok had an infuriating habit of adopting an air of bored patience, but he took no such stance now. The air around him practically crackled with irritation as he stepped closer to her.

"Your emotion clouds your sense, Hawke. The crime my people committed was just retribution for an offense that your authorities refused to acknowledge. This thief stole for coin, plain and simple, and she faces no consequences for her actions among her own. We  _will_  have her."

"You will  _not_." Hawke stepped closer to him as well, until they were nearly chest-to-chest. She had to tip her chin up to look him in the eye, and his glare was fearsome indeed.

"If I have to tear this city apart to find her, so be it," he snarled. "You may be willing to protect her, but do you think anyone else will? These Kirkwall gutter rats have no honor, no conscience, even if she were worthy. Threatened, they will not hesitate to deliver her to me."

Hawke knew he was right. Isabela wouldn't be safe unless she left Kirkwall, but the Arishok would destroy the city to satisfy himself that she had gone. She sighed.

"Can't you let it go? As a gesture of good will to me?"

The Arishok's expression relaxed a little and he brought his hand up as if to touch her face, then seemed to think better of it. "I cannot, not even for you. One criminal is not worth the lives that will be lost if I have to take her by force, Hawke. Surrender her to me." Tears sprang to Alice's eyes and the Arishok's own widened, clearly astonished. "You would weep for a petty thief?"

"She's my  _friend._  Or do you not know what that is?"

" _Parshaara_ ," he said impatiently. "Of course I know friendship, but I don't make friends with honorless  _vashedan_. You should choose your companions more wisely, Hawke. She is unworthy of your loyalty. Or your love."

Hawke sneered, furious with him for forcing this choice upon her. "You know nothing of love."

He gazed at her calmly, the heat from his chest warming her skin, and she knew he wouldn't answer her charge. Alice chewed on her thumbnail, desperately searching for a way around the Arishok's unthinkable request, until a crazy idea occurred to her. Her eyes snapped back to the Qunari general's and he stiffened when she rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his cheek.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, as she quickly unclipped a grenade from her belt.

The small glass bomb was filled with a powder that released a blinding cloud of smoke. Hawke's eyes stung as she ducked under the Arishok's swing and spun past him. With a grunt, she planted both feet on the thighs of the Karasaad holding the tome, pushing off of him into a backflip as she snatched the book out of his hands. Her attack had been too sudden, too unexpected –  _because the Arishok trusted me,_  she thought, with an unhappy twist of guilt – and the Qunari were still scrambling to get away from the stinging, choking vapors when Hawke slipped through the manhole leading to the sewer and escaped, clutching the Tome of Koslun to her chest.

…

"Hawke, you're mad," Fenris said, after she'd told him what she'd done. "You didn't really think Isabela could strand them here for four years without consequence, did you?"

Alice shrugged helplessly. "Why not? He had what he wanted. I certainly didn't think he'd force me to choose between Isabela and Kirkwall."

"Then you don't understand the Qunari," Fenris replied darkly.

"Understatement of the year," Hawke replied, rolling her eyes. "Now I need to secure a deal with the Arishok before he burns down every building in the city just to make a point."

"Will he negotiate with you?"

"I think so," Alice said hesitantly. "He wants his book back and it's not like I actually have any interest in keeping it from him. Besides, strange as it may sound, I think he likes me. He's angry, but he'll talk. Well, roar. But I can live with that."

"What do you want me to do?" Fenris asked.

"Go to the compound and ask him to come here to discuss handing over the tome. Try to get him to come now, if you can. I don't want to give him any time to start blowing things up."

Fenris looked dubious. "What's to stop him from holding me hostage until you return the relic?"

"The tome is currently being held by a third party who won't turn it over until they are satisfied that the Qunari will leave peacefully, without prisoners. Keeping you hostage will do him no good."

The elf stared at her evenly, doubt and concern in his eyes. "You're going to get me killed."

"He won't kill you." At Fenris' incredulous look, she shrugged. "It would be wasteful."

He sighed. "Fine, I'll deliver your message, but at least send someone with me for back up."

Alice laughed helplessly. "You're the only one besides me who doesn't totally piss him off. Any back up I could send will just increase the chance of beheadings."

Fenris sighed irritably. "This sounds ridiculously dangerous, but I trust you, Hawke. I'll return as soon as I can with the Arishok's response."

The waiting was agony, even though the Arishok appeared at her door within the hour. At his insistent pounding, she opened it a crack, intending only to admit him, not his soldiers. She should have anticipated that he would barge in, her feeble attempts to hold the door against him no match for his considerable strength. She backed up against the wall to get out of his way and he immediately grabbed her by the throat, bringing his face within an inch of hers.

"Where is it?" he asked, his voice low, cold, and calm.

"I don't have it," she gasped, her voice raspy, strained, and breathless.

"Who does?"

"Please," she choked, clutching his wrist. He relaxed his grip but kept his hand curled around her neck, his thumb pressing against her trachea. "Will you come into my office to discuss this?"

"There is nothing to discuss. Return the Tome of Koslun to me or face a thief's punishment."

Alice couldn't help but smirk triumphantly and the Arishok lifted one eyebrow, contemplating her curved lips.

"Do not play games with me, Hawke."

"I'm not playing. Will you, and you alone, please come into my office?" she pleaded. The Arishok glanced at the Qunari crowding the doorway, then back at Hawke and nodded. Alice smiled. "My servant will be happy to offer your men refreshments, if they wish to wait in the parlor."

The Arishok's full lips curled into a sneer as he issued a command to his men in Qunlat. They backed out of the doorway and before the door snapped shut, Alice saw that Fenris was among them and he seemed well enough. Thank the Maker.

The Arishok stepped back and released his hold on her. Hawke coughed, rubbing her throat, and shot him a dirty look that he returned with a hostile scowl. Motioning him to follow, she led him into her office and closed the door.

"Will you have a seat?" she asked, gesturing to a chair before her desk that seemed comically small next to the giant of a man.

"No," he snapped. "Where is the Tome, Hawke?"

"The Grand Cleric has it." Hawke winced as the Arishok immediately began to growl and she held up her hand. "Just for safe-keeping! If you will consent to meet with the Viscount and form a formal agreement to leave Kirkwall  _without prisoners_ , Elthina will return your tome. Everyone gets something they want. Sound good?" Hawke rested her backside against the edge of her desk, smiling at him brightly.

"No!" he thundered. "The thief must submit to the Qun. Her crime is too great to overlook."

Hawke swallowed, praying her gambit would pay off. "Well, technically, I'm the thief now. So I suppose I'm the one who must submit."

The Arishok glowered and moved closer to her. "Do you think the Qun so rigid and indiscriminate that her punishment would fit your crime? Do you think  _me_  so incapable of nuance?"

"I hope not," Hawke admitted. "May I be frank with you?"

The Arishok loomed over her, bracing his hand on the desk at both sides of her hips. "I would expect no less."

Alice licked her lips nervously and his eyes followed the quick flick of her tongue. He was so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her face, and a crazy part of her wanted to close the gap completely, to press her mouth to his and slide her tongue between his teeth. He'd probably bite it off if she tried.

"I like you, Arishok, and I think by now you've realized that I'm sympathetic to the Qunari predicament in Kirkwall. But Isabela is my  _friend,_  and I love her, and I know that whatever it means to 'submit to the Qun' will be the end of her, if not her life then her spirit. I can't allow it, even if every notion of justice demands it. Punish me instead, in whatever way fits my crime. If you won't let me have Isabela as a gift, then I'm taking her as my price."

The Arishok's brows drew together angrily. "You said you weren't playing games."

"I'm not," Hawke assured him. "I will submit to your punishment."

He scowled. " _Parshaara,_  this is foolishness. You're wasting my time. I'm not leaving this cesspool without the Tome  _and_  the thief. Provide them to me by sunrise or I will be forced to take matters into my own hands."

"Arishok,  _please!"_  Alice cried, impulsively gripping his shoulders. "It doesn't have to be like this! If you will just relent on the issue of Isabela, you can have your Tome and be free of Kirkwall without violence. You know if you attack the city, you'll lose men. Why waste them, when you could be on your way safely home with your holy relic restored to you?"

The Arishok leaned closer, forcing her knees apart with his thighs. "You beg so easily, Hawke."

"What?" she asked, startled, and pulled her hands away.

" _Please,_ " he mocked her, imitating her voice. " _Arishok, Arishok, please, I'm begging you._  The only _basra_ in this entire rancid city worth noticing, and yet you beg at the first opportunity. Why is that?" His eyes roved across her face insolently, a taunting smile on his lips.

Hawke glared at him. "Would you prefer that I demand what I want? It hardly seems like a sound strategy to me, but if it will work, I can certainly employ it."

"No, I like to hear you beg," he rumbled, and his tone was so unmistakably sensual that Hawke sucked in a surprised breath. The corners of his mouth lifted a little and he leaned in closer to her. "My men tell me you are promiscuous."

"Excuse me?" Hawke gasped.

"Have you any diseases?"

Hawke's face flushed angrily as she stared at him. He was regarding her with calm curiosity, seemingly oblivious to the insulting impropriety of his question. If she didn't need to negotiate a deal with him so badly, she'd have told him to get the hell out of her office, and probably aimed her boot at his backside on the way out.

"No, I certainly do not, not that it's any of your business. What's gotten into you?"

The Arishok straightened up and removed his hands from her desk. "I am disinclined to punish you for the theft of the Tome, since I know you had no intention of keeping it. You claim the thief's life is your price for returning it to me, but I find the exchange unacceptable." He paused and tilted his head slightly, his gaze raking over her body from toe to crown. "I need something more. I will erase your friend's debt to the Qun, if you will consent to render a service for me. Not a punishment, but a gift."

Hawke swallowed nervously. "What kind of service?"

The Arishok's lips curled into a tiny smile. "Tell me, Hawke, do you know what a Tamassran does?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why can't I just write a one-shot? Apparently, it's just not possible. Oh well, more Arishok for everyone. Totally the hottest Qunari ever, sorry Bull.


	2. The Taarsidan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hawke goes to the Qunari compound to help the Arishok with his "problem," but first she must undergo a Qunari ritual performed by an anonymous lover. Bondage, blindfolds, and big dildos ahoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to HigheverRains for coming up with the term "Taarsidan."

"He wants you to  _what?_ " As expected, Aveline sounded absolutely scandalized when Hawke told her about the Arishok's proposal. Isabela, on the other hand, looked thoroughly intrigued.

"Damn, Hawke, if I'd known  _that's_  what he wanted, I would have taken the book back myself." The pirate leaned back on Hawke's lounge, idly toying with her necklace and eyeing Alice with a hint of jealousy.

"Oh no," Hawke warned her. "If he sees even one glimpse of your bronzed buttcheeks, he's going to redecorate the docks with your organs. You need to keep a very low profile until the Qunari leave Kirkwall." She paused and then glanced around her parlor with a smug smirk. "You can stay here if you like. I doubt I'll be home much."

Isabela answered that with an admiring grin, while Aveline's mouth dropped open in shock. "Hawke, you're not seriously going to take him up on this offer, are you? You can't… forgive me, but you can't whore yourself to that heathen. It's absurd."

Hawke smiled. "Oh, I absolutely can, Aveline, and I will. It's not really whoring, though. The way he explained it to me, it's more like being a healer or something. Normally they have women with them who handle this sort of thing, but I guess they got separated from their lady friends while chasing Isabela. His men have been making do with anyone brave and curious enough to have a go with a Qunari soldier, but apparently I'm the only woman in Kirkwall who doesn't make him want to vomit." Hawke felt a little proud about that, to be honest.

"So they keep traveling prostitutes. Charming," Aveline said dryly.

"They wouldn't be the first army to do it," Hawke replied, "but Tamassrans are much more than just prostitutes, and he spoke of them with great respect. There was one in particular, the Rasaan, who was assigned to be his spiritual advisor and I get the sense that they were quite close. He seemed genuinely upset that they had been separated."

Aveline continued to look unimpressed, while Hawke could practically see the naughty gears turning in Isabela's head.

"So wait, you're telling me he hasn't gotten any in  _four years_?" the pirate asked gleefully. "Fuck, Hawke, he's going to break you in half! We'll have to carry you back to Hightown on a litter – you'll never walk right again!"

"Isabela!" Aveline admonished, and then added "Hawke!" when Alice enthusiastically agreed with the Rivaini. The guard captain scowled at the both of them, bright patches of color mottling her cheeks. "The two of you are shameless! This is dangerous!"

Hawke huffed, a little annoyed by her friend's mothering. "Relax, Aveline. He promised me he'd be careful. He was actually kind of charming about it."

Aveline lifted an eyebrow, clearly doubting the Arishok's capacity for charm, and Hawke laughed.

"It's true! And he sort of sheepishly admitted that perhaps he's been extra cranky of late because it's been so long since he's gotten his dick wet. Not his exact words, of course. It was adorable."

Even Isabela looked dubious at the combination of  _Arishok_  and  _adorable,_  while Aveline rolled her eyes. "Just be careful, Hawke. It could be a trap."

Hawke shrugged. "It could be. Or it could be the most glorious sexual experience of my life. I mean, have you  _seen_  him? He's so…."

" _Huge,_ " Isabela sighed happily. "You have to promise to tell me every single detail afterwards. Don't leave anything out."

Aveline cleared her throat. "I'd like to be invited to the debriefing as well." Hawke arched her brows and the guard captain blushed. "Well, he  _is_ huge _._ "

"I know," Hawke agreed, rubbing her hands together. "The things I do for you, Isabela."

"Every. Last. Detail."

…

Hawke felt rather nervous as she approached the Qunari compound at dusk. She'd debated wearing a dress, but the idea of it made her feel so foolish that she just pulled on her comfortable leathers instead. Surely she'd be naked soon enough, and there was no point in making a big deal out of nothing. Her heart thudded wildly as she nodded at the Ashaad who opened the gate for her. She wondered if the Arishok's men knew the purpose of her visit. Probably. It made her feel a bit bashful to think that every man in the compound knew she was there to fuck their general back into sorts, even though by the Qunari code, she had no cause to feel embarrassed. The Arishok's attitude during his proposition had been quite matter-of-fact and, for him, surprisingly humble. Although he hadn't quite come out and said so, she got the impression that he considered her willingness to help him relieve stress to be a generous gift. He had no idea just how often she'd fantasized about him.

Although the sun had dipped below the high walls of the compound, the summer heat still clung to the stones and the hard packed dirt floor. Sweat rolled down Hawke's neck and pooled beneath her breasts as she trotted up the steps to the Arishok's throne. The man sitting upon it rose to his feet and bowed slightly to her, welcoming her in his booming voice, and Alice's gaze travelled up and up his muscular body until she met his eyes. His expression was nearly as dour as ever, but there was an unmistakable intensity in his stare that made her long to trace her tongue across every hard, unyielding muscle. Maker, he really was a huge man. If he was that large everywhere… well. Hawke just hoped she could take him.

"This way," he said, gripping her by the shoulder and steering her in front of him. He guided her behind a partition to the indoor part of the compound, an old warehouse that the Viscount had donated to shelter the Qunari during their long displacement. Hawke turned her head left and right, taking in the sights with fascination. They had made efficient use of every inch of the space, which she supposed should come as no surprise. Storage crates and weapon racks served as walls and partitions, dividing up the large, open warehouse floor in to smaller, more usable rooms. The Arishok marched her to the back wall and opened a door.

"My quarters," he explained gruffly. It was a smaller room, perhaps intended to be an office or something, dominated by a large pallet covered in linen sheets. He waved his hand towards a table with two stools. "Sit."

"Are you this bossy in bed?" she teased him, but then her breath caught in her throat as his lips pulled back, revealing his teeth in a feral grin.

"Yes," he said, just as decisively as every time he'd told her  _no._

"Oh my," Hawke purred, a thrum of anticipation shivering across her skin. She perched on the stool, which was so tall that her legs dangled above the floor. The Arishok sat on the other stool, his large feet planted firmly on the ground.

"Hawke, I will attempt to explain to you how this works, although this is not my usual role," he said. Hawke laughed.

"Arishok, I'm intimately familiar with the birds and the bees. You really don't have to explain anything."

He frowned at her, his eyes glinting with exasperation. "I know you know how to fuck, Hawke, but you don't know how to fuck the Arishok."

Simply hearing him use a vulgar term send a throb of excitement to her core. "Is there a special procedure?"

"Yes," he said. "Normally, this would be arranged by the Tamassrans, but we have no Tamassrans."

"Well, that's good, right?" Hawke offered with a lop-sided grin. "I mean, if you had Tamassrans, I wouldn't be here, which would be a damned shame. At least for me."

The Arishok's heavy brows lifted slightly, as did one side of his mouth. "True. I would not have asked you to do this if there were an alternative. I cannot be happy we were separated from our Tamassrans, but…" He paused, his fierce stare roving over her features, pausing on her lips and her breasts. "I am glad you are here."

"Me too," Hawke admitted. "So, what do I have to do to prepare for you?"

The Arishok frowned. "You need not do anything, except offer me your trust. I will undress you and blindfold you, and then the one who has agreed to prepare you will begin the ritual."

Alice's pulse quickened. "Someone else? Not you?"

"I cannot," the Arishok replied. "It's been too long and I am too eager. The purpose of the ritual is to ensure that your body is ready for me, especially since my self-control is weak. I am a little concerned about your size. I have never sought relief from a human before."

"I've never fucked a Qunari either," Hawke replied. "So what is this ritual?"

"It is meant to relax and arouse you. The Taarsidan will massage you and use hands, mouth, and an instrument to prepare your body. When you are ready, he will leave and I will join you. I'd prefer that you were bound to the bed. Will you do that?"

"You want to tie me up?" Hawke squeaked. "How did you know I'm into that? Do you have spies in my house?"

Mirth flashed in the Arishok's eyes and his lips curved. "I do not. It is my preference. But I'm glad to know it is a preference we share. After the first time, if you wish to stay, what happens next is up to you. I have… other desires, but I will defer to your wishes. I hope to pleasure you."

"Oh, you will, big boy," Hawke said with a grin. "Just stay out of my ass, please. The backdoor is locked."

"Noted."

Hawke slid off the stool, her arm resting on the table as she looked at the Arishok, feeling a bit hesitant. He'd removed the leather pauldrons and chest harness he usually wore, along with the heavy leather gauntlets tipped with metal claws. She was relieved to see that his actual fingernails, though thick, were blunted and ended at his fingertips. His chest was covered in red war paint and it looked a little oily in the low light of the torches. She'd be smeared in it before the night was over, and the idea of it excited her. She followed the lines of the paint out and up to his shoulders, and then followed the curve of his muscles up his neck to the ear that was lined with a gold cuff and pierced with three small rings. She wanted to run her tongue along the cuff, to hear the rings clacking against each other. She wanted to grip him by his ridged horns and ride his cock with his hands on her hips. She wanted his teeth on her back and his balls slapping against her thighs as he pounded her from behind. She wanted  _him,_  big and rough and wild, and she could feel her sex begin to slicken and throb as she imagined all that the night might hold for her. The Arishok's gaze had grown hungrier as she looked at him, his eyes lingering on her curves. Alice took slow steps towards him until she was standing between his open knees.

"Is kissing part of the Qunari sex ritual?" she asked him, staring at his full, generous mouth.

"Sometimes," he rumbled, fitting his large hands around her waist and pulling her closer. "It depends on the needs of those involved."

"I need to kiss you," Hawke whispered against his lips, and then took the lower one between her teeth. The Arishok allowed it and made a low, growling sound when she slid her tongue into his mouth. He kissed her back and his tongue felt a little rough, not nearly as scratchy as a cat's, but certainly not as soft and smooth as a human's. He slid a hand up her spine to the back of her neck, tilting her head with one big thumb under her jaw, and took control of the kiss until she was left shaking and a little breathless.

"We need to begin the ritual," he said, his voice thick with desire, and began unfastening the buckles and straps on her tunic. Hawke slid her hands along his thighs and both of them inhaled sharply when her palm collided with the bulge of his erection.

"Andraste's tits!" Hawke gasped. "You really are a big man."

The Arishok lifted his brows a little smugly. "I am large even among my own people." He removed her hand from his cock with a look that clearly warned her that his manhood was off-limits for now.

"You know this for a fact?" Alice laughed as she bent over to pull off her boots. "Hmmm… a Qunari dick-measuring contest. Now that I'd like to see."

The low, rumbling sound that emanated from his chest startled her. He was laughing! His eyes crinkled a bit at the corners and his lips pulled up a little, although his expression was hardly any less fearsome than usual, but there was no mistaking the sound of his repressed laughter.

"Trust me, Hawke, there would be no contest."

Alice grinned. "It's oddly comforting that even the leader of the Qunari army, probably the most feared man in Thedas, is not above being proud of his giant dick. You men are all alike." She wiggled out of her breeches, and the Arishok grabbed her by the hips and thrust his hand between her legs, sliding his fingers along the soaked crotch of her smalls.

"Humans are all alike as well. Driven by vice and base desires. Do you know how many times I have smelled your arousal and wondered at your lack of self-control?"

Hawke's cheeks flushed. "You have not!" She wiggled a little in his grip as his fingers pressed and rubbed against her swollen lips.

"I have," he assured her.

"When?" she demanded furiously.

"After you helped me deal with the stolen  _saar-qamek,_  after you started visiting more often, pestering me with questions and pointless arguments. At first, I thought you were merely curious about the Qun, and even though it is not my role to educate you, I hoped I might provide the answers you sought. But then I caught your scent, the smell of the sweat on your skin and the moisture between your legs, and I realized your curiosity was no different than the brazen hoydens who hang around the gate, waiting for one of my men to seek relief."

Hawke pushed against his chest, frowning. "That's insulting!"

The Arishok shrugged. "It is not meant as an insult. You were curious, as they are, but you didn't approach my men as they do."

"I was curious about  _you_ ," Alice said through gritted teeth, propping one knee on his to give him better access. "And how does that make me lacking in self-control?"

"You allowed yourself to become aroused in my presence," he purred in her ear, nipping at her neck. "I have never permitted myself the same indulgence, until now."

"Oh come on," Hawke complained. "You really mean to tell me you never once got hard, even when you realized I wanted you?"

"Never," he replied, teasing her sex lightly as she pulled off her breast band. "It was not until recently that I considered you as a suitable substitute for Rasaan. Until then, I would have only caused myself needless discomfort if I allowed myself to respond to your call."

"So you didn't want me at all?" she asked, feeling a little stung.

"That is the difference between humans and Qunari," he said, adopting the infuriatingly patient tone that usually made her want to spit nails. "You allow yourself to want what you cannot have and suffer for it. I do not want things that are not permitted to me. Now that you are permitted…  _yes,_  I want you, Hawke." He growled the last part, thrusting his fingers so that they pressed the fabric of her smalls into her entrance, his other hand digging into her hip.

"I'm going to come if you keep doing that," Alice said, trailing her tongue along his wide jaw. The Arishok moaned through clenched teeth, the heel of his hand grinding against her clit as he pushed against her smallclothes.

"Come for me, then," he snarled, slipping his fingers past her garment and driving them into her slippery passage. His mouth closed on her nipple and one of his horns scraped against her collarbone. She reached up and grabbed a horn on the other side of his head, shifting his position so that he didn't gouge her as he sucked on her breasts. It took very little time for his thick fingers to accomplish their goal, and Hawke was rewarded with a knee-shaking orgasm as he held her close.

"Fuck, you feel good," she moaned, leaning against him. "That was fast."

The Arishok grunted. "I am likely to climax just as quickly, at least the first time. I am not sure I will bring you pleasure then, so I am glad to now." He pulled his hand away, picked up a cloth from a stack sitting on the table, and wiped his fingers clean. "We have begun the ritual, but now I must turn you over to the Taarsidan. Turn around."

Hawke did as she was told, even as she complained, "Can't you do this? Do you really need someone else to prepare me?"

"Hawke, I know my limits, and I also know you need more time. Touching you just now, feeling how tight you are even for my fingers… no. You are not ready yet, and I am. We need the Taarsidan." He pulled her soaked smallclothes down her legs and caressed her ankles as she stepped out of them.

"Oh, fine. It's not like I mind, really. It's just that I came here for you."

"I know," he replied, kissing her shoulder. "The purpose of this ritual is your pleasure, not the Taarsidan's. He will not be inside you, nor seek anything from you. You need only enjoy his attention."

"I thought Tamassrans were all female?"

"They are." The Arishok picked up a length of soft burlap cloth and covered her eyes with it, tying it securely behind her head. "Taarsidans are not Tamassrans, nor is it a permanent role. They are called to pleasure a Tamassran who will be giving herself to other Qunari seeking relief. Particularly with younger men, sometimes their needs are such that the experience may be too quick for the Tamassran to become aroused or to experience pleasure. The Taarsidan makes sure that she is ready and that she enjoys herself before and after." He pressed his teeth to the nape of her neck, his hands palming her breasts. "In this case, I intend to take care of your pleasure after. The Taarsidan will be dismissed once he prepares you for me."

"Good," Hawke said breathlessly, leaning against his chest. "So who are the Taarsidans?"

"Anyone can be called. I have served many times, although not since becoming Arishok." He led her over to the bed and gently guided her to lie face down on the pallet. "It is useful to learn how to please a woman without expecting pleasure in return. I have not needed a Taarsidan to prepare a partner for me in years. I would prefer to complete the task myself tonight, but these are exceptional circumstances."

"Well, you've been celibate for a long time," Hawke said, not wanting him to feel bad. His eagerness charmed her, even though it felt slightly impersonal. She relaxed on his soft linen sheets, closing her eyes beneath the blindfold. Spread naked on the Arishok's large bed, she felt a bit vulnerable, but she trusted him.

"Thank you for understanding, Hawke. My desire for you is overpowering, and I do not want to hurt you." He paused and a sly edge crept into his voice. "Unless you want me to. We could discuss it later."

"Are you sure you don't have spies in my house?" she asked, and was rewarded with another low rumble of laughter.

"I am sure,  _basaraanda._  I will leave you now. Enjoy yourself."

She heard the door close, and her excitement mounted as she imagined an anonymous Qunari entering the room and pleasuring her. Never in her life would she have predicted this experience! The Arishok's sheets smelled like him, a slightly musky odor that was strong but pleasant. It was reassuring to her, and she rubbed her face against the fabric, looking forward to the moment when he returned. Though she understood the purpose of the ritual and planned to thoroughly enjoy it, she hoped it would be brief. Her heart fluttered a little anxiously when the door opened again. The Taarsidan approached the bed, lightly trailing his fingers against her back to announce his presence.

"Hello," Hawke said hesitantly. The Taarsidan made no reply except to squeeze her fingers gently. Alice heard a quiet pop, like a bottle being uncorked, and then a slick slapping sound. The scent of earthy sandalwood filled her nose as the Taarsidan placed warm, oiled hands on her shoulder and began to rub.

" _Makerrrrrrr_ ," she purred as his strong hands kneaded her muscles, rubbing the oil into her skin. He worked in silence, thoroughly massaging down one arm and hand, then the other, and then started on her legs. The pressure of his thumbs rubbing slow circles along her inner thighs awakened a throbbing need in her core, and Alice was a bit disappointed when he continued his journey down her leg, although the foot rub was magnificent. He repeated he treatment on her other leg and she hummed happily as her muscles turned supple and tender under his skilled hands.

It was odd to allow herself to be touched by a stranger, especially one she couldn't see. She was surprised to find that the anonymity of the encounter relaxed her. She imagined herself as a Qunari, submitting with fearless anticipation to the preparation of the Taarsidan as she waited for the Arishok. Did their women consider it an honor to be chosen to serve him? Did his Rasaan even allow anyone to serve him but herself? Hawke thought that in her place, she would feel rather possessive, but then again that seemed like a very human emotion.

Once he'd finished with her foot, the Taarsidan crawled up her body and knelt over her thighs, drizzling the fragrant oil across her back. Hawke whimpered in pleasure as he went to work, realizing with curiosity that he was not a Qunari. Though his hand were strong, there was no way the weight against her legs belonged to one of those giants. She puzzled over the mystery man contentedly, happy to let her mind turn over the possibilities of his identity while he massaged away the knots in her muscles. She felt like she was turning to liquid beneath his touch – the Arishok would come back to find nothing but a pulpy puddle in his bed!

The Taarsidan worked his way slowly down her spine, drumming her skin with his fingers tips and then grinding with his palms. Alice whimpered and shifted her hips, and to her surprise, he sucked in a sharp intake of breath. The sound called to her and her nipples tightened against the sheets. She lifted her ass a little, and he circled his hands lower, methodically rubbing her hips and then the firm globes of her backside.

Alice moaned softly when the Taarsidan shifted one knee and then the other between her legs, spreading them so he could kneel between her thighs. His thumbs drilled slow circles along the very tops of her legs, pulling her cheeks apart as he rubbed. Hawke's sex responded immediately, throbbing in anticipation of his touch. He took his time, slowly inching closer and closer to her waiting center, until finally his fingers brushed against her swollen lips.

"Yesssss," she hissed, arching her back and raising her hips in invitation. He touched her lightly, tracing his fingers against her aching cunt, and every pass of his fingertips sent pulses of need deep into her center. She was still damp from her encounter with the Arishok and she knew it wasn't just the oil on the Taarsidan's fingers that slickened her folds as he rubbed her. Her eyelashes fluttered against the blindfold as she gripped the sheet with both hands and thrust her hips up higher, wordlessly begging for penetration with the curve of her spine. The Taarsidan responded to her display with a low growl of approval and met her need, sliding his fingers into her quim and curling them against her wet, pulsing walls. Alice whined as she clenched her cunt tightly around his fingers, desperately trying to wring pleasure from him. His thumb circled her clit, but she needed more.

"I want your cock," she moaned. The Taarsidan stilled his hand. "I know you aren't going to fuck me, that's fine. But I want to feel it. Can you tease me with it?"

Hawke waited, blind, breathless, and tense, as he considered her request. She groaned with relief when she felt him fumbling at the laces of his breeches and freeing his member, fucking her with his fingers the whole time. When he leaned forward and slid his cock between her wet lips, she wiggled her ass happily. He was incredibly hard and it thrilled her to know that her mystery lover was just as aroused by their encounter as she was.

"Thank you," Alice murmured, and the Taarsidan grunted.

He planted hot, open-mouthed kisses along her spine as he added another finger to her quim, and his hair tickled her back when he bent over to lick her skin. It made her wonder who he was, even more so than the feeling of his blunt cockhead rubbing against her pearl with every rock of his hips. The fullness of his manhood between her legs sent tingles of pleasure through her body that quickly built into throbbing waves. He pushed a fourth finger inside her, thrusting and stretching her confidently, readying her to take the giant of a man she had pledged to serve. The idea of that, of one man opening her for another, and the erotic pleasure of the Taarsidan's rigid cock striking her clit as his fingers fucked her cunny sent her to her climax. She barely managed to gasp out a surprised and grateful declaration before she fell apart, shaking from head to toe as she rode out a long, intense orgasm. The Taarsidan kept pushing her into it, using his hand and his dick to prolong the pleasure until Hawke thought she wouldn't be able to stand anymore. She begged him, though she didn't know if she was asking him to stop, or to give her more. Finally, the pleasure receded and she relaxed on the bed, breathing against the sheets.

"Wow," she said, still panting. "They should send every man in Thedas to the Qunari School of Handjobs. That was amazing."

The Taarsidan answered with a low, rich chuckle that warmed her inside. He gently guided her onto her back and she gamely rolled over, but when he pulled her wrists above her head, Hawke jerked her arms back and sat up.

"Please," she said, wrapping one arm around his hips. "I know you are here for my pleasure, but it would please me to return the favor."

Blindly reaching for his cock, she cooed in satisfaction when her knuckles collided with the soft skin covering his rock-hard length. She curled her hand around him but then paused, waiting for permission. He held very still except for his fingers, which gently traced the line of an old scar on her shoulder blade.

He closed his hand around hers and even blindfolded, she could sense his wavering indecision. Alice passed her thumb along the tip of his dick and he hissed, pushing his hips forward involuntarily. She tightened her arm around his slender frame and leaned closer, pressing her cheek to his side. She'd been right, he was certainly no Qunari. Perhaps a very slim man, or more likely, an elf. Had the Arishok sent one of his  _viddathari_  to pleasure her? That made sense, she supposed. She'd gotten the impression that the role of the Taarsidan was as much a lesson for the man as it was a service for the woman.

But Alice was not particularly interested in teaching the  _viddathari_  self-control. She wanted to feel him spill in her hand, to know she could affect him as he had affected her. She gave his cock a quick, experimental pump, and when he didn't withdraw from her grip, she repeated the gesture. His length was still covered in her slippery juices and her palm was still oily from the massage. It took only a few strokes to have him groaning harshly, his fingers digging into her shoulders as his seed splashed across her breasts. When he came, Hawke thought for a second that she felt a crackle of magic, a brief skittering of electricity that tingled her fingers, but she quickly decided she must have imagined it. There was no way the Arishok would allow a  _saarebas_  to touch her, certainly not a  _viddathari saarebas._  She wasn't even sure the Qunari accepted mages as converts. When the Taarsidan's spasms subsided, Hawke placed a gentle kiss on the wet head of his cock and then released him.

"Good boy," she said smugly, and the man growled a little. Hawke laughed and allowed him to push her down on the bed and position her as he liked. First, he stuffed a pillow under her hips, lifting her pelvis off the bed. Then, he stretched her arms above her head and wrapped a rope around her wrists, which he secured to the bedframe. Once he was satisfied her wrists were bound fast, he gently placed his hand under her knee and pressed up, asking her to bend her leg. He circled her thigh with another length of rope and then looped it around her ankle, drawing her heel back until it almost touched her ass. Her other leg was bound the same way and then he spread her open, tying her legs to the sides of the bed and forcing her knees to remain wide apart. She was thoroughly exposed.

Hawke had passively permitted him to bind her, her arousal increasing with her helplessness. She'd allowed her lovers to tie her up before, many times, but she'd never been in a position that made her feel this vulnerable. Between the blindfold and the ropes and the unknown Taarsidan – not to mention the hulking general of the Qunari army waiting on the other side of the door – she felt completely defenseless and yet also completely safe. She knew that whatever the Arishok had planned for her, there was nothing to fear. The Taarsidan walked around the bed, double-checking her bindings, and then passed a cloth across her chest, wiping up his semen. She wondered if perhaps now he would turn her over to the Arishok, but instead he returned to the bed and settled between her open legs.

When the Taarsidan began kissing a trail up her belly, she arched her back, offering him her breasts. He answered her offer, moving his mouth up to her chest and taking a nipple in his mouth. His tongue curled around the tight peak as he tugged on its twin roughly, pulling and pinching until she winced with pain. It was a satisfying pain, one she enjoyed, and when he let go and soothed the throbbing bud with soft kisses, she moaned her approval. She wished the Arishok's blindfold wasn't so effective, for she longed to see the man who so expertly toyed with her breasts – biting just hard enough, tugging just long enough, licking away the pain when it became too much. Her sex throbbed as she quivered beneath him, the tension once again building in her body as he stoked her desire. When his mouth began to move in the opposite direction, his tongue sliding across her stomach, she desperately canted her hips.

"Please," she whined.

His lips ghosted past her pelvis and skimmed her thighs, nipping and licking the sensitive skin. He took his time, alternating between each leg, tormenting her with kisses and bites as he made a slow, bruising path towards her sex. It felt like he was making marks, and she wondered if the Arishok would care if he did. Were she the Taarsidan, she doubted she would have been brave enough to leave love bites all over the Arishok's woman, but then she reminded herself that the very notion of a person belonging to another sexually was a human fancy that held no meaning for the Qunari. Still. It took some balls to leave visible evidence of his actions all over her thighs.

When he finally reached the junction of her legs, he didn't tease as she expected. He plunged his tongue into her cunt, causing her to squeal with surprised ecstasy. He spread her open with his thumbs and fucked her with his mouth, his tongue agilely sliding within her. It felt wonderful and she pumped her hips in response, but she wanted him to lick her clitoris. When he pulled his mouth back, she hoped it was because he intended to give the same attention to her pearl, but he surprised her by getting off the bed entirely. She heard him walk across the room and rummage around, arousing her curiosity nearly as much as he'd aroused her cunt. When he came back to the bed, he knelt over her chest and placed something in her bound hands.

It was a smooth, oblong object that felt like it was made of glass. The Taarsidan slid it in and out of her hands and as her questing fingers investigated it, she began to laugh.

"Is that a replica of the Arishok's cock?" she asked disbelievingly. The Taarsidan kissed her forehead and tweaked her nipple before withdrawing the "instrument," as the Arishok had called it, and crawling back down her body to sit between her legs again. She moaned when she felt him press the tip of the phallus to her entrance.

"That's a big fucking cock," she hissed as he slowly penetrated her, rubbing her pearl with his thumb as he patiently guided the instrument into her passage. When the tip of it skimmed along the most pleasurable place inside her, Hawke let out a little yelp. The Taarsidan withdrew it and then entered her again, a little faster this time.

"More," Hawke demanded, and he complied, increasing the speed and force with which he thrust the toy inside of her. It felt amazing, stretching and filling her completely, and she concentrated on the sensation, bearing down on it with the walls of her cunt every time the Taarsidan pushed it all the way in. When he leaned forward and flicked her pearl with his tongue, it was only the ropes around her arms and legs that kept her from bucking off the bed.

"Andraste's soggy knickers!" she cried, as he closed his lips around her bud and teased it with quick, firm licks. Between his mouth and the relentless slide of the instrument within her, she found herself nearing climax again.

"Maker's breath, you're good," she panted. "Don't stop, I'm nearly there!"

To her consternation, the Taarsidan pulled away and laughed, placing a gentle kiss on her mons as he withdrew the toy and sat back.

"Why did you stop? I said  _don't_  stop!" she whined, twisting in her bindings. He got off the bed and she heard him set the phallus on the table with a heavy thump. She realized that he probably intended to hand her back to the Arishok, now that she had comfortably taken the instrument and was near orgasm again. But she felt a loss at the idea of him just leaving.

"Wait, before you go, please come here." The Taarsidan obeyed, sitting on the side of the bed and gently caressing her waist. "You've been so good to me, and I've loved every second we've spent together. I wish I knew who you were."

Silently, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Alice tilted her chin up, and the Taarsidan hesitated for a moment and then sighed before sliding his lips against hers. He kissed her almost reverently, with none of the biting, arrogant fervor with which he'd attacked her breasts and thighs. His lips were soft and confident, his mouth warm and hungry, and the hand that had been stroking her side tightened against her ribs as he slowly pulled away from her.

" _Taarsidath-an halsaam_ ," he whispered gruffly, and then rose from the bed and left the room quickly.

Alice remained alone, bound and blindfolded, her legs pulled apart so that the next person to enter the room would be greeted with the sight of her wet, swollen cunt. She breathed deeply, willing her body to remain relaxed as she waited tensely for the Arishok's return. When the door opened, she welcomed him with a needy whine, and he answered her with an eager growl.

" _Shanedan_ , Hawke. Now you are ready for me."


	3. Basaaranda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Arishok has his way with Hawke and then leaves her in capable hands.

Hawke turned her head blindly towards the sound of the Arishok's heavy footsteps as he walked over to the table. She listened to a thump and a rustle, a metallic scrape, the soft slap of leather against leather, and realized with a giddy twist that he was disrobing.

 _I am about to get fucked by the Arishok,_  she thought, her belly fluttering with a feeling that vacillated between anticipation and anxiety. It wasn't  _just_  his size, or his strength, or his ferocity that made her nervous. The sovereignty of Kirkwall at least partially depended on her ability to soothe the man's rage... with her quim. It was absurd.

Not to mention… he was the fucking Arishok! The actual Arishok! And he was going to be inside her. Right now! She felt the bed shift as he joined her, and she gasped as he positioned himself between her legs with his hot, heavy cock pressed against her cunt.

"Hawke, I cannot wait any longer."

"I'm ready," she said through gritted teeth, and he grunted in response. She mewled as he entered her, hissing against the sting as she stretched to take him in. "You're even bigger than that toy!"

"Yes," he agreed, his voice strained. "And you're even tighter than I imagined."

"Imagined it often?" she teased him, although her jaw remained clenched as she tolerated his slow but steady breach of her body.

"Not as often as you have," he replied, and she could hear the smirk in his voice, the bastard. He leaned forward so that his belly lay flush with hers while he submerged himself in her wet heat, inch by pulsing inch. "Am I hurting you?"

"No," she said, feeling like every muscle in her body was pulled taut. No wonder the Arishok had wanted the Taarsidan to give her a massage. As relaxed as she'd felt when he'd left, she was equally tense now. "There's just a lot of you."

"I know," he said, sounding smug once again.

"Is there a… correlation between… horn size and … ah!" She cried out in surprise as he seated himself fully within her, and the low, lustful groan that poured from his throat made her core clamp tight around him.

" _Katar-an vat!_ " he snarled. "Are you all right?" Droplets of his sweat splashed on her breasts as he hovered over her, his huge body trembling.

"Yes," she hissed. His rough tongue swiped across her chest as he cautiously withdrew and then pushed in, nearly as slowly as he had the first time. His stoic restraint was maddening and she wanted him to fucking  _move_ , even though she wasn't sure that she could handle much more than he was already giving her – at least not yet.

" _Ebasit basaaranda ataas,_ " he said, placing his hand around her neck. Hawke whimpered as his thumb stroked her throat, a surprisingly gentle display of dominance that inflamed her. She rocked her hips up to meet his patient plunge and he growled, pushing into her a little faster.

"Give me more," she moaned, and his hand tightened on her neck.

"You will have more when I decide you're ready,  _kadan_ ," he growled. She frowned and whined, pulling against her binds, and the Arishok's answering laughter rumbled against her chest. " _Maraas shokra,_  Hawke. We have time."

"You'd better not be insulting me," she grumbled and he laughed again, his breath tickling her ear as he caught her lobe in his teeth.

"You would know," he replied, wrenching a moan from her lips as he pressed a little harder on her throat and rocked his hips against her.

"You're killing me," Hawke whined, biting her lip as his cock moved within her at a glacial pace.

" _Ankaara_ , Hawke. Patience."

"I thought you couldn't wait?" she replied, wishing that she could wrap her legs around his waist.

"I'm not," he grunted.

His teeth grazed her shoulder as he continued to apply gentle pressure on her neck, not enough to choke her but enough to make her feel thoroughly, completely at his mercy. It excited her beyond measure that the most frightening man she'd ever met was capable of being simultaneously threatening and reassuring, savage and tender. Her sex no longer burned with tension, having accepted his girth, and she needed more. She wanted to feel him rut within her, to deliver on his promise of rough, brutal desire.

"Fuck me harder!" she demanded.

"No."

"Please?"

The Arishok sucked in his breath and growled, sinking into her a little more forcefully.

"Arishok, please!"

He growled again and bit her shoulder, finally settling into a pace with his hips that was still maddeningly controlled, but at least offered her some friction. She remembered what he'd said about her tendency to beg when he'd confronted her at her estate, and decided that if shameless pleas were the key to his undoing, she was absolutely not too proud.

"I need you, please," she moaned, wiggling in her binds as she tried to tilt her hips to meet him. "Please, Arishok, I've wanted this for so long."

" _Parshaara, kadan!"_  he groaned, removing his hand from her throat and covering her mouth instead.

She squealed in pleasure, a high, keening shriek that was trapped behind his fingers as he finally succumbed and began fucking her in earnest. His massive cock pummeled her like a battering ram, breaking down her defenses and reducing her to a howling, incoherent animal. Her teeth sunk into his palm as he pushed her head into the mattress, her cunt twitching and clutching at his invading length. Andraste's flaming tits, he felt… overwhelming. His onslaught kept her hovering between pain and pleasure – she winced every time his manhood struck her womb and she wailed every time his thick, hard shaft raked her walls. She'd never in her life felt so completely overtaken by another person, as if she didn't know where she ended and he began. His unyielding body slid against hers, smearing her with sweat and greasy paint, and he pressed his fingers into her mouth, all the way back past her teeth until she nearly gagged. She bit down on his digits and that only seemed to incite him further, spurring his thrusts to a frantic, savage pace. With a roar, he arched hard against her and she could  _feel_  his cock throbbing within her sex, feel the hot spurts of his seed as he emptied his long-neglected balls deep within her body.

His roar trailed off into contented growls as he slowly lowered himself against her chest, still balancing much of his weight on his forearms. Hawke tilted her chin down, scraping her face against his horns and pressing kisses to the hard ridges.

"Thank you,  _kadan_ ," the Arishok rumbled, resting his chin on her breastbone. "I needed that."

He was still inside her, still stretching her even as his member softened. Alice rolled her hips and he withdrew, leaving an empty feeling in his wake. Her legs had begun to ache in their binds, her wrists chafing against the rope, and she wanted to see him. She wanted to see herself, covered in his war paint. She wanted to fuck him again and again, until she had thoroughly satisfied her curiosity about him.

"Will you untie me?" she asked.

"I'd prefer to bring you pleasure first," he said, swiping his rough tongue across her lower lip. "But I will if you want me to."

Alice considered. Her discomfort wasn't intrusive, at least not yet, and the idea of writhing helplessly in her bindings while the Arishok got her off certainly appealed. "All right," she conceded, "but I want to see you."

" _Na'thek,_ " he murmured, pulling the blindfold free. Alice gasped as he gazed down on her, slightly startled by the sight of him. It seemed ridiculous, but to actually see the Arishok, his face inches from hers, covered in sweat and staring at her intently just felt so… impossible. And so right.

He reached down with the cloth that had covered her eyes and placed it between her legs. "Your cunt weeps with my seed," he growled at her, and Hawke moaned. "I will never forget the sight."

He wiped with the cloth and tossed it aside, then slid his fingers against her folds, wasting little time in penetrating her. Alice bucked her hips, watching his face as his gaze roamed across her skin from her pumping pelvis, to her straining breasts, to her face. She opened her mouth and he leaned forward – for such a big man he certainly could move fast! – covering her lips with his own. She whined in his mouth as his tongue invaded her, gasping in pleasure as his thumb began to circle her clit. He kissed like he fucked, as if the entire point was to conquer her, and it left Hawke feeling breathless and needy. She whimpered when he dragged his lips over to her ear again.

"I will taste you now."

Hawke let loose a shaky laugh. "You'll taste yourself!"

"Yes," he agreed, clearly unperturbed by the idea. He worked his way down her body, his tongue pausing to snake around her nipple before journeying down to the juncture of her legs. Hawke had to strain her neck to watch him, but the sight that greeted her was worth the vague discomfort. Her breasts and belly were smeared with red paint and sweat, and the precise lines that had adorned his chest were blurred and muddied. He lowered himself to his belly and stared at her fiercely, the tips of his horns grazing her thighs. Maker's insufferably salty balls, but she had never seen a more arousing sight than the giant Arishok, hovering between her legs and preparing to lick her cunt.

"I almost think I could come just looking at you," Alice said breathlessly, and he rewarded her with one of his rare, slightly disconcerting smiles.

"I do not care to test that theory,  _basaaranda,_ " he replied, and pressed the tip of his tongue to her pearl.

"Fuck!" Hawke yelped. The odd, slightly rough texture of his tongue stimulated her in unexpected ways. He barely needed to brush against her nub to have her straining in her binds, arching her back and wiggling. She simultaneously wanted more and less – the sensation became too much too easily, but he seemed to know when to pull away and concentrate on using his fingers.

"Please, Arishok," she mewled and he growled against her cunt, his tongue joining his fingers inside her.  _That_  felt fucking fantastic and she howled in enthusiastic approval. He brought the hand that had been gripping her thigh to her core, using his fingertips to stroke her nub while he fucked her quim with his mouth and hand. Hawke's head dropped back on the bed as she let the sensation roll over her, a thundering acceleration of pulse and pleasure. She bore down on his hand, squeezing against his fingers, concentrating. When her climax broke, she cried out harshly, pulling down on the ropes that caught her wrists as the unbearable storm of tension released. Hawke came so hard she saw stars, and when the Arishok finally pulled away from her soaked, sloppy sex, she could only lay limply on the bed and breathe.

"You seem pleased," he commented. Alice opened her eyes and smiled languidly.

"How do you know how to do that?" she asked.

The corner of the Arishok's mouth lifted slightly as he got up and moved to the side of the bed, untying the ropes that bound her leg. He was already getting hard again and Hawke gasped at the sight of his manhood. Thank the Maker he had blindfolded her the first time! If she'd seen it before it was inside her, she probably would have run screaming back to Lothering. His eyes followed her gaze and his smile deepened into a self-satisfied smirk.

"I told you that I have served as Taarsidan many times." He stretched her leg out, massaging her thigh and calf and flexing her foot against his palm. Hawke sighed approvingly, and he kissed her instep.

"Yes, but not with a human."

The Arishok shrugged. "You anatomy is similar enough. And I did some research." He untied her other leg and rubbed out the tension, rolling his fingers firmly against the back of her knee.

"What kind of research?" Hawke asked. She still couldn't shake the suspicion he had spy in her household.

"I interrogated my men who had received relief from human women. I read books. I questioned your lovers."

"You did what?" she choked. He untied her wrists, kissing each one, and then sat down on the bed next to her. Hawke sat up, shaking out her arms as she waited incredulously for an explanation.

"My men saw you fucking one of the city guardsmen in an alley one night, so I had him brought to me. I asked him about your encounter."

"Maker's breath! No wonder he never wanted to have another go!" Poor Jim! Hawke shook her head in dismay, thinking about how the young man had backed off the last time she'd approached him, as if – well, as if the Arishok were looming right behind her, scaring the piss out of him. She laughed ruefully. It was a shame, too. Jim was a really excellent lay.

"I also questioned a few of your associates from that mercenary band you used to work for," he continued. "They all indicated you prefer to fuck hard and fast, and then be on your way. Do you wish to leave, Hawke?"

Hawke let loose an astonished bark of laughter. "If you want me to, I will, but I have a few more questions for you, Inspector Arishok!"

The huge man smiled slightly. "I do not wish for you to leave. Ask your questions."

"Well, this is more of a statement than a question, but you do know it's rude to go around interrogating people's lovers to find out about their sexual preferences, don't you?"

He simply gazed calmly at her.

"Okay, granted, politeness isn't really at the top of your priorities. But I was with Jim months ago! Just how long have you been planning this little encounter?"

The Arishok surprised her by reaching out, hooking one long arm around her waist, and pulling her into his lap. Hawke settled her knees on either side of his hard, muscular thighs, his now rigid cock pressed between their bellies.

"The idea occurred to me a year ago and I began investigating the possibility." One of his hands supported her back while the other drifted up to her breast, palming its weight.

"A year ago!" Hawke smacked him on the shoulder. "You made it sound earlier like you didn't even want me until today."

He frowned. "I said I didn't permit myself to indulge in my physical desire for you until I knew I could have you." The hand on her back moved up to wind in her hair, pulling her head back to expose her throat. She sighed as his tongue and teeth claimed her neck.

"You honestly can turn it on and off, just like that?"

"I do not understand what you mean,  _basaaranda,_ " he replied. She yelped as his teeth closed down on the juncture of her neck and shoulder, not hard enough to break the skin, but close.

"Your arousal. Can you just will yourself not to get a boner?"

He huffed against her neck. "Not at the moment."

Hawke laughed. "Well, that soothes my ego a little, at least."

The Arishok pulled back and stared at her, wrinkling his brow. "Hawke, I have spent a year questioning the  _vashedan_  you've lain with, reading your dwarf friend's  _vashta_  books, hearing more than I ever cared to know about my men's sexual encounters with gutter trash, and forgiven perhaps the greatest insult ever paid to the Qun,  _simply because I want to please you._  What more does your ego require,  _kadan_?"

Hawke pressed her forehead to his shoulder, shaking with laughter. "Well, when you put it like that, nothing. I suppose I just hoped you were also insensible with lust."

He growled, smacking her backside with one broad palm. "That I've lain with you at all is proof of it. That I did so with all the eagerness and lack of finesse of a  _karasaad-eva_  on his first visit to the  _taarsidathlok_  confirms it."

"Hmmm," she said, trailing her tongue along the edge of his ear, flicking it at the little gold rings. "I wouldn't say you lacked finesse."

"That is because you do not understand what I am capable of," he answered, and Hawke shivered with delight.

"Then you'd better show me, big boy," she said with a grin, grabbing his horns and kissing him fiercely.

…

"And then what happened?" Isabela asked breathlessly. She reached for the bowl of nuts on Hawke's table, popping a few almonds in her mouth mindlessly.

Hawke grinned and shrugged. "He showed me."

"Every. Single. Detail. Hawke!" Aveline pounded her fist on the table to punctuate each word.

"I'm afraid the rest will have to wait," Alice laughed. "I'm supposed to meet Fenris down at to docks to see the Qunari off." She sighed wistfully. "I'm really going to miss them."

Aveline snorted. "You're the only one. They can't leave fast enough for the rest of us."

"I know," Hawke sighed. "It's really for the best but damn, I wish I could keep the Arishok around."

Viscount Dumar had named Hawke Champion of Kirkwall for her role in successfully brokering peace with the Qunari. It was unusual to appoint a Champion who had achieved success through diplomatic means, although she supposed there  _had_ been a very physical element to the negotiations – but hopefully Dumar didn't know that. She certainly couldn't say she had bested the Arishok in their battle, however. The general had been the dominating force in their affair and Hawke had loved every minute of it, even if she was sore, bruised, and exhausted. How on earth would anyone else ever satisfy her now? She'd considered begging him to leave behind the  _viddathari_  elf who had so expertly pleasured her in preparation from him as consolation prize, but she'd decided she better not press her luck. Besides, if the elf stayed in Kirkwall, Aveline would lock him up, and then Hawke would have to break him out, and then everyone would be cross with her.

She bid her friends a good afternoon and strolled down to the docks, feeling a bittersweet sense of satisfaction in all that had transpired. Fenris met her at the gate to the Qunari compound, now empty, and they walked together down to the wharf.

"This is a rare accomplishment, Hawke," the elf said, his deep voice rich with admiration. "I would wager you are the only person outside the Qun who could call the Arishok a friend."

Hawke laughed. "Well, he didn't make it easy, that's for sure."

Fenris looked at her sideways, a tiny ghost of a smile on his lips, but didn't respond.

When they reached the pier, the Arishok was standing on the dock barking out orders, while his men carried the last of their supply crates onto their ship. He lifted his hand in greeting when he saw them.

" _Shanedan,_  Serah Hawke. Fenris."

" _Arishokost. Anaan esaam Qun,_ " Fenris replied. He stayed back while Hawke jogged up to the Arishok.

"When will you leave?" she asked him, stared up at his rugged, handsome face.

"Within the hour." He looked down at her, his expression softening with affection. "I thank you again,  _basalit-an_ , for returning the Tome of Koslun to me and releasing me from this filthy city. I cannot understand why you would wish to stay here, but if I cannot put this place to order, at least I can take comfort in the thought that at least one worthy person remains." He past her shoulder at Fenris and cocked an eyebrow. "Two worthy people."

Hawke grinned. "Fenris will be giddy with happiness that you think so. He may even crack a smile."

The Arishok looked amused. "He shows admirable restraint. Unlike you,  _basaaranda._ " He reached out and brushed her hair back from her face. "I will miss your smile, though."

Alice blushed at the unexpected admission. "My smile? I thought you'd miss my blowjobs."

The Arishok's rumbling huff of laughter made her belly squirm with pleasure. "I will miss those as well. I will miss  _you, kadan_ , though I hope we never see each other again."

"Likewise, big boy," she said. "Should I shock all of Kirkwall by giving you a proper good-bye kiss?"

The Arishok bared his teeth at her in a feral grin. "As much as it would please me to claim you right here, right now, I think you would be wise to refrain. I do have a parting gift for you. Something to remember me by." He pulled a rectangular box out of a nearby crate and handed it to her.

"What is it? Should I open it now?" She started to pull the lid off, but he covered her hand with his own.

"You may wish to wait until you get home," he replied, amusement sparkling in his eyes, and suddenly Hawke knew exactly what was in the box.

"You are  _wicked!_ " she cried, delighting in his answering smirk.

" _Panahedan_ ,  _kadan._   _Maraas toh ebra-shok."_  He bowed slightly to her, and Hawke returned the gesture.

"Good-bye, Arishok. I will miss you. May we never meet again." She knew she ought to mean the words a lot more than she did, and her throat ached as she watched him board the ship. He did not look back at her and after a moment, Hawke turned around and walked away.

"Are you all right?" Fenris asked.

"I'm fine," Alice sighed, sheepishly wiping tears from her eyes. "I know it sounds crazy, but I'm really going to miss that guy."

"You two seemed to share a very special connection," Fenris replied, and the slightly sly edge to his tone made her glance at him sharply. He pointed to the box in her hand. "What's that?"

Alice blushed. "Nothing. A small… well. A gift."

She swallowed uncomfortably, looking over her shoulder at the Qunari's ship, as the wind, which had been blowing from the water and carrying the smell of fish and the sea, shifted direction. Her stomach growled as she caught the aroma of food from the market, and she was about to suggest to Fenris that they go get something to eat, when an unexpected scent assaulted her senses. It overcame her so suddenly that she gasped – she felt like she was right back in the Arishok's makeshift bedroom, bound and blindfolded, with an unknown man touching every inch of her body.

"Hawke?" Fenris asked, looking concerned. He took a step closer to her and then stiffened in surprise when Alice pressed her face to his neck and inhaled.

"It was you," she breathed.

"What?" Fenris said, sounding uncomfortable.

"It was you! How did I not realize it?" She pulled back and looked at him, her face flushing. "Don't lie to me, Fenris. You know what I'm talking about."

The elf's expression was unreadable, but he inclined his head a fraction. "It was me."

Hawke goggled at him in amazement. "Why? How? What even… what the hell is going on?" She was still standing very close to him, so close their hips nearly touched, and the scent of his skin so thoroughly returned her to the moment he had served as her Taarsidan that her loins throbbed with desire. How could she not have known?

"When you sent me to negotiate with the Arishok, he requested my service."

"Why you?" Hawke asked. She'd assumed the Arishok had used an actual Qunari. It had never entered her mind that he might recruit Fenris for such a task.

Fenris shifted his weight uncomfortably. "He said – and these were his words entirely, not mine – he said that after he left Kirkwall, I would be the only  _kabethari_  worthy of you and he wanted to leave you in good hands." He looked distinctly embarrassed, staring out at the sea over her shoulder.

Hawke laughed in disbelief. "Okay, that sounds like him. But why did you agree to it?"

Fenris looked her in the eye, and this time there was no hesitation in his voice or his stare. "Because I wanted to. Because I wanted you."

"Past tense?" Hawke asked, taking a step forward.

"Past, present, future," he murmured, pulling on her hips. His lips met hers and he kissed her, just as reverently and confidently as he had while she was tied to a bed.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked, in between heated kisses.

"You are a remarkable woman, Hawke," he said against her lips. "I didn't think you would want me, I guess."

"Yes, well, now that I know what you can do, how could I not?" she said playfully. She giggled nervously, pressing her face to his shoulder. "I really should be embarrassed. I can't even imagine what you think of me."

"No," Fenris growled. "I've never seen anything so beautiful. I never intended to reveal myself to you, or ask anything of you. The memory alone of that evening would have been enough to sustain me."

"Oh, I don't know, that seems like thin fare," Hawke turned her face up, begging silently for another kiss, and he obliged. "I'd hate to think of you living on memories alone."

Fenris flashed a rare grin. "True. I'd rather make a meal of you."

Hawke's stomach growled. "Speaking of, I'm starving. What do you say we get some lunch and go back to Hightown? I have so many questions."

He nodded, sweeping his hand in front of him to indicate she should proceed. "I will answer them all, if you answer just one."

"All right?"

"What's in the box?"

Hawke let loose a long peal of laughter, shaking her head. "If you haven't figured it out by the time we get back to my estate, I'll show you." She glanced over her shoulder and grinned. "I'm glad it was you, Fenris."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha wow this actually ended up being more of a Hawke/Fenris story than Arishawke. Oh well! That's all folks! 
> 
> Although...I'm kind of considering a DAI follow up where Hawke intervenes in Iron Bull's horrible Qun vs Chargers quest - and of course takes a lot more Aricock. We'll see! Thanks for the reads and reviews!
> 
> ("Maker's insufferably salty balls" is borrowed from my friend Fen_Assan XD)


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